Train lantern or marker.



J. F. HADDOCK.

TRAIN LANTERN 0R MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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J. F. HADDOCK.

TRAIN LANTERN 0R MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1916.

7-.- ejaseyaki'mcz Patented June 5, 1917.

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JOSEPH F. HADDOCK, OF ST. LOUIS,1VIISSOUBI.

TRAIN LANTERN OR MARKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed September 5, 1916. Serial No. 118,449.

This invention relates to a signal lamp of the type generally known as markers, and which are used at the rear ends of trains. These lights or lamps are usually constructed so that they maintain a normal position displaying a certain signal to indicatethat the train is in motion; but when the train passes on to a siding the lamp 1s changed so as to y give a different signal: This change of signal may be effected by simply rotating the signal lamp, or parts of the lamp. In some cases the train is provided with electric service for electric lights, but often the trains are not so provided. In the latter case an ordinary fuel burning lamp is employed.

The general object of my invention is to provide a signal or markerof this general type which is readily adapted to be used with an ordinary liquid fuel burninglamp, or with an electric lamp, as may be desired, and in constructing the marker one of my objects has been to provide very simple means for maintaining electrical connection with the lamp in the different signaling positions the marker may assume, and also to construct the mounting for the electric lamp v in such a way that when not in use it can be readily moved to and held fixed in an inactive position.

In the drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation in partial sec tion of a marker embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is substantially a horizontal section taken through the upper portion of the marker, and indicating the means for supporting the marker on the end of a car;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing part of the marker, and also illustrating more in detail the bracket which supports the.

marker on the car;

Fig. 41s a side elevation and vertical sec- .tion through a movable arm which supports the electric lamp within the lantern;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the bracket socket which is attached to the car, this View particularly illustrates the manner of mounting the electric terminals of'this fixed bracket; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section and partial elevation illustrating the means for mounting the electric terminals of the lamp so as to enable them to close the circuit when the lantern is hung in place on the side of the car.

Referring more particularly to the parts, the numerals 1 and 2 represent sections of a split ring which may be secured together by bolts 3 soas to form a swivel or pivotal support for the marker or lantern 4. The base of the lantern has a channel-shaped ring 5 which engages the supporting ring 6 so as to enable the lantern to have a swiveling movement, and also to prevent it from becoming displaced. The lantern comprises supporting means 7 which may be in the form of a dished plate to receive a liquid fuel burning lamp 8, which is ordinarily a coal-oil lamp. The marker is preferably provided with a plurality of translucent bullseycs, indicated by the numerals 9, 10, 11 and 12. These bulls eyes are of distinctive colors. In the present instance the bulls eyes 9, 10 and. 12 are green, while the bulls eye 11 is red in color. Fig. 2 shows the normal position of the lantern when the train is running, it being understood that the 1ine 13 indicates the plane of the rear end-of the last car of the train.

The lantern should be so constructed asto enable these bulls eyes to rotate about the central axis of the lantern into different signaling positions. This is preferably accomplished by rotating the casing 14 of the lantern in the supporting ring 6, as this enables me to mount the bulls eyes fixedly in the casing. The casing 14 is of cylindrical form and may be surmounted by a suitable bonnet 15 and be provided with a suitable bail 16 nate the bulls eyes electrically or with the oil burning lamp 8 at will, I provide means for supporting an electriclamp 2O movably within the casing, so that when in use the lamp is held substantially on the central axis of the casing (see Fig. 2), but constructed so that when not in use the lamp 20 mayassumc an inactive position atone side, as indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 2. To do this I provide a bracket 21 attached to the inner face of the casing 14 between two adjacent bulls eyes, and this bracket projects horizontally inwardly toward the axis of the lamp (see Fig. 4) and is provided with an opening or slot 22. In this opening 22 there is mounted a tubular pivot member 23 which forms part of an arm 24 carrying the incandescentlamp 20. The electric cord which supplies current to the lamp has an extension 25 which passes up through along the axis of the tubular pivot member23, and the arm 24, to connect with the filament of the lamp. The arm 24 has a socket 26 of usual form, enabling an ordinary incandescent lamp to be attached thereto, ordetached when desired. The tubular pivot member 23 is provided with screw-threads 27 which receive a nut 28 for clamping the arm 24 rigidly to the bracket 21 in any position desired, that is, with the lamp centrally placed, or with the arm and lamp swung laterally into an inactive position against the casing wall. For convenience this nut is formed on a lever 29. When the electric lamp 20 is to be used it is simply clamped in the position indicated in'Figs. 1 and 2 by means of this lever 29. The lamp 20 is located directly over the burner, and in substantially the same position as the flame from the burner when the oil lamp 8 is in use. This electric cord extension 25 enables me to maintain electric connection with the lamp in any position it assumes, and this electric cord also enables me to maintain the connection with the lamp in any signaling position into which the casing may be moved. For this purpose and as the cord connects to the casing at a point removed from the axis or rotation of the casing, the electric cord includes a loose extension or loop 30 from which thecord passes up through a guide 31 within the casing and off the central axis of the casing. In order to connect the loose extension 30 at a fixed point with the conductors supplying current to the lamp I provide the lower end of the casing which 'is adjacent the ring 6, with a circumferential slot82, and the ring is provided at a suitable point with a bushing 33 through which one end of the loose extension 30 passes. is rotated in the swivel ring 6 the distance of the guide 31 from the fixed bushing 33 will vary, but the loose extension or loop 30 evidently will permit a perfectly. free movement. On the corner of the rear car the lantern is supported in a fixed bracket 34 having a socket 35 to receive a tongue 36 formed on the outer end of an arm 37 which extends radially from the ring 6.

When the tongue 36 is slid vertically down into the socket 35 electric connection is au- It is evident that as the casing 14' tomatically made with the electric cord 38. In order to do this the arm 37 is provided with two socket contacts 39 which are supported in a vertical position within insulating bushings 40 (see Fig. 6). These terminal sockets 39 are preferably provided with longitudinal slots 41 extending up from their lower ends, that is to say, these sockets are split sockets, so that they are enabled to yieldingly engage fixed insulated terminal pins 42 which project up from an insulating block 43 carried on the bracket 34 (see Fig. 5). hen the tongue 36 slides down in the socket 35, the socket guides the arm 37 and simultaneously prevents rotation of the arm. The pins 42 will then be sure to aline with the socket terminals 89 and will move into the socket terminals so as to effect an electric connection between the conductors 44 and the electric cord 38. Referring to Fig. 6 the'arm 37 is formed near its inner end with a tubular duct 45 for the electric cord 38, and has an opening 46 on its upper side from which the cords 38 extend upwardly to enable them to be connected to suitable binding screws 47 on the upper ends of the. terminal sockets 39.

The invention may be employed as a classification signal for trains; in fact, it may be employed in signals used for any purpose whatever. As stated above, Fig. 2 shows the normal position of the signal when the train is running, at which time the red light shows toward the rear, and green lights show in every other direction. If the train passes onto a siding the casing 14 will be rotated through a quarter turn toward the left, so that the red light will throw its rays transversely across the rear end of the train. Inthis signaling position green light will bethrown toward the rear, toward the front, and toward the outer side.

The fixed bracket 34 may be provided with the usual socket 48 to hold a flag-staff of a signal flag in the'day time.

As, the opening 22 is in the form of a slot it enables me to adjust the pivotal support of the arm 23 in or out when desired.

I do not confine myself to any particular colors or arrangement of the colors of the bulls eyes, for example, I may employ a white light instead of the red one, or use any other colors for giving special code signals.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described hereinabove is only one of the many embodiments my invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention, nor in any of my claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

I claim:

1. A railway marker comprising the combination of a rotatable casing having means "for supporting a centrally disposed liquidfuel burning lamp, said casing having a substantially vertical wall with a plurality of distinctive translucent bulls-eyes disposed about the central axis of said casing, and carried in said vertical wall so as to move with said easing into several different signaling positions, an electric lamp, and a tubular arm carrying said lamp and having a tubular pivot supported adjacent said vertical wall, said arm constructed to hold said lamp normally substantially centrally in said case, and operating to swing laterally into an inactive position with said arm and lamp lying adjacent to the said vertical wall of the casing, and an electric cord passing through the tubular pivot in a longitudinal direction with the axis of the pivot and extending within said tubular arm to connect with said lamp.

2. A railway marker comprising the combination of a rotatable casing having means for supporting a centrally disposed liquidfuel burning lamp, said casing having a substantially vertical wall with a plurality of distinctive translucent bulls eyes disposed about the central axis of said casing, and carried in said vertical wall so as to move with said easing into several different sig naling positions, an electric lamp, and a tubular arm carrying said lamp and having a tubular pivot supported adjacent said ver tical wall, said arm constructed to hold said lamp normally substantially centrally in said case, and operating to swing laterally into an inactive position with said arm and lamp lying adjacent to the said vertical wall of the casing, and an electric cord passing through said tubular pivot in a longitudinal direction with the axis of the pivot and connecting with said lamp, and means associated with said tubular pivot for locking said arm in a position to hold the electric lamp in its central position in the case or in its laterally disposed inactive position.

3. A railway marker comprising the com bination of a casing having means for supporting a centrally-disposed liquid-fuel burning lamp, a plurality of distinctive translucent bulls eyes carried by said casing, means for rotatably supporting said casing to enable the bulls eyes to assume several different signaling positions, an electric lamp within said casing, a bracket carried within said casing and having an opening therethrough, an arm having a tubular pivot member passing through said opening, for movably supporting said electric lamp to enable the same to assume a substantially central position or an inactive position at one side, said pivot member being threaded, a clamping nut engaging said pivot memher for clamping the same to said bracket, and means including a loose extension of electric cord and an extension passing to said lamp through said tubular pivot memher, for maintaining electric connection with said lamp in the different positions of said lamp and said bulls eyes.

4. A railway marker comprising the combination of a supporting ring, a casing rotatably mounted in said ring and having means for supporting a centrally-disposed liquid-fuel burning lamp, a plurality of distinctive translucent bulls eyes mounted in said casing and adapted to give difiierent signals when said casing is rotated into difierent positions, an electric lamp, an arm carrying said electric lamp pivotally mounted on said casing, said casing having a circumferential slot adjacent said ring, said pivotal arm having a tubular pivotal member and an electric cord having a loose extension passing through said ring and said slot, said electric cord having an extension passing up through said tubular pivotal member to connect with said electric lamp.

5. In a railway marker, the combination of a railway oil lantern having distinctly colored bulls eyes, an electric lamp within the lantern, a bracket arm with a ring for rotatably supporting said lantern toenable the same to be rotated into different signaling positions, a fixed bracket having a guiding socket to receive and support said bracket arm, said bracket and said arm each,

having a pair of insulated contacts, said socket operating to guide one pair of the said contacts into engagement with the other pair when the said bracket arm is being mounted on the said bracket, said arm having a duct leading through said ring into the interior of said lantern, and electric cords connecting with the contacts on said arm, passing through said duct and connected with said electric lamp.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH F. HADDOCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

